This article will provide racers with some important information
about the high school snowshoe state championship taking place on Saturday,
January 30.
The Course:
This year's 5K course is entirely above 10,000 feet. The start is on the multi-purpose field on the Colorado Mountain College Timberline Campus at Leadville. It has a gradual 125 foot climb in the first mile followed by a long gradual downhill to mile 2. The last mile is an undulating roller coaster of steep ups and steep downs. Racers will finish on the 200 meter loop around the multi-purpose field.
The last half mile of the 5K is the same course the 800 meter racers will run. As the 5K racers approach the multi-purpose field, they will head west back into the trees, which is very similar to the Lake County Cross Country Invitational. This last half mile has the two steepest hills in the race. Both are short and fun. Racers will drop down through the terrain park behind the residence hall and come back up to the multi-purpose field. The 800 racers are finished at that point. The 5K racers must complete an Olympic style finish running a lap around the 200 loop.
The 200 and 400 racers will run one and two loops around the multi-purpose field, respectively. The loop is flat. The 1600 medley relay will run 200-200-400-800 which will be one lap, one lap, two laps, and an 800 loop.
99% of the race course is run on groomed trails that are 4-5 runners wide. The only single track will be behind the residence hall and through the terrain park. Spectators of the 5K course will watch the racers start, see them at mile 2.5, and the final loop on the field. The course runs through a dense lodgepole pine forest that was not devastated by the Rocky Mountain Pine beetle. Great views of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive can be seen from campus.
Registration:
Racers can register for any number of events for a flat fee of $20. This will include a goody bag and lunch. Day-of registration can be done for an extra $5. Online registration can be done at http://www.runningguru.com/EventInformation.asp?eID=17304
The campus dining hall, Coronado Café, will be the meeting point. We are open for business at 7:45 AM.
Don't have snowshoes? Don't worry!
For the third year in a row, Crescent Moon Snowshoes from Boulder will be providing loaner snowshoes for the race. There is a limited supply or race shoes and regular snowshoes. They are on a first come, first serve basis.
Scoring and Awards
For right now, scoring will be done on the 5K only. A boy and girl team will be scored by placing 4. It will be scored like a cross country meet. With the sprint events being new, I am looking for ways to score the meet differently in the future like a track meet. Participating coaches: send me your ideas! All-state for the 5K will be the top 5 for each gender. The top winners in the sprint events will be medaled. The top relay will be medaled. The relay will be coed.
Who's coming? Questions? Contact me!
Cheyenne Mountain, Telluride, and Summit have committed. My email address is dillondash1637@yahoo.com Hit me up if you need more info! I cannot wait to see you up here in the Cloud City, North America's Highest city: Leadville, Colorado!
Course Maps
5K/10K Loop:
800 Meter Loop:
200 Meter Loop:
